Waste Management Outlook for Mountain Regions

This week ISWA launched its latest publication “Waste Management Outlook for Mountain Regions” to coincide with International Mountain Day 2016 (11th December).

14 Dec 2016 -

This new publication is a cooperation with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), International Environmental Technology Centre (IETC) and GRID-Arendal.

The Waste Management Outlook for Mountain Regions follows on from last year’s Global Waste Management Outlook, which highlighted the need for a more specific focus on certain regions and landscapes.

Mountains are a fundamental aspect of our eco-systems; they play a role in supplying water, energy food and other services to the millions of people living in mountain regions and downstream. The global waste problem is affecting mountains as much as any region as a result of urbanisation, modern consumption, tourism and illegal dumping. The waste hazards are not just restricted to the mountain regions, but the problems can be seen thousands of kilometres downstream, even into our oceans. "Mountains are a serious waste management challenge" said Keith Alverson, Director of the UN IETC this week at the launch of the publication in Vienna, Austria.

This latest publication aims to draw attention to and address these issues with some recommendations and potential solutions. Solutions such as, among many, the implementation of waste monitoring programmes, better research, better education and awareness and greater responsibility from the private and public sectors are recommended. The publication also calls for better funding into research on these issues and a better enforcement capacity for high-risk sectors in the mountainous regions.

This is part of our landscape often overlooked when it comes to waste management research, but we hope this latest publication brings it some much needed attention.